


More Than Words Can Say

by MaroonCamaro



Series: Lost in the Woods [2]
Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Established Relationship, I hate tagging, Jealousy, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Oral Sex, Sex, h/c
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-08-14 19:53:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8026786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaroonCamaro/pseuds/MaroonCamaro
Summary: Everything's going great. Rick is finishing his senior year of college, Daryl has a thriving car repair business, and they share a tiny apartment above the garage. Perfect. Until Rick injures himself and has to go to rehab. There he meets Joe, a physical therapist that seems to take more than professional interest in Rick. Daryl doesn't trust him any further than he can throw him. Is Daryl wrong? Is Joe just a very compassionate physical therapist, or has he got his eye on stealing Rick away from Daryl? A longish one-shot.Title is from Extreme's More Than Words Can Say





	More Than Words Can Say

**Author's Note:**

> Okay folks. Here it is the long promised follow up to Lost in the Woods. Only took me a year! 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to finish it and have given me nudges along the way. 
> 
> KatyTheInspiredWorkaholic is the most perfectest beta ever and, no, I won't give her up for anything. 
> 
> Special shout out to my buddy, TWDObsessive, for strongly encouraging (read: badgering) me to finish and for giving this a read through. 
> 
> Also, it starts with sex, hope you are okay with that. ;)

“Come on baby, just like that.”

Daryl looked down at Rick. His Rick. His Rick that was ravaged, dark curls a messy halo, eyes blown wide, and face smeared with spit and Daryl's pre-come.  _ Fucking gorgeous. _

Rick hollowed out his cheeks as he slow ly sucked Daryl in, tongue making swirling motions to the underside of Daryl's hard and leaking cock. He was balanced on his slightly spread knees, his own cock hard and at attention. Sadly neglected at this point though, as Rick had his hands behind his back and Daryl had his hands in Rick's hair.

“You're so good at that, ya know it?”

Rick nodded his head, his mouth too full to talk. Not that Daryl would let him talk, Rick talked enough for both of them the rest of the time, so he generally was only allowed to talk during sex if Daryl asked him a question. And his mouth wasn't full.

“Wanna make me come, baby?”

Rick nodded again and sucked a bit harder. Daryl loved seeing Rick on his knees for him. Rick who was captain of the baseball team, had girls (and guys) fawning all over him. But Rick only had eyes for Daryl. 

“Ahh, Rick!” And Daryl was coming, his eyes rolled back a bit and his lids came down, his mouth opening just enough for him to pant out a trembling breath.

Rick didn't stop his attentions until Daryl pulled him off, making protesting noises the whole time.

“Good job, baby. Go on and get on the bed now,” Daryl told him.

Rick scurried to his feet and laid on the bed. Daryl knew Rick always loved this part. Well, he loved all the parts when they made love. But this was pretty high up on the list.

“Hold on to the head board,” Daryl said as he licked his lips.

Rick was rarely allowed to touch himself during their love making, Daryl preferring to take care of him. They’d always been that way though, from the very first time they’d made love, and nothing had really changed in the years they’d been together. 

Daryl was creeping up between Rick's legs to nudge them apart and got comfortable between them. Looking up from between Rick's strong thighs, he could see the rest of the man spread out before him like a feast. A feast just for Daryl. And he wanted a taste - no he wanted the whole meal.

Daryl leaned in and sucked one of Rick's balls into his mouth, licking and sucking it before moving to the other one and treating it the same. Rick moaning and writhing around. Daryl slid a finger into his mouth to get it spit soaked between devouring Rick's privates. He teased his way down to the pucker, making Rick whine in anticipation. 

Rick wouldn't beg, not at first. He's been known to, cry for it even if Daryl was in a mood, but he wasn't this morning. Daryl wanted to make his Rick feel good. He wanted to  _ see _ Rick feel good.

Daryl worked a finger in and wriggled it around until he found the prostate. Rick arching off the bed his first indication he'd found it. Daryl then mouthed up the length of Rick's cock as he relentlessly rubbed his finger in that sweet spot. His mouth reached the tip and then engulfed Rick all in one go, causing Rick to gasp out a loud “shit!”.

Daryl smirked around his mouthful as he set to task. They really didn't have much more time, Rick had a class in forty-five minutes and Daryl had to open the garage in thirty. So, he gave the best blow job and prostate massage he could in the few minutes they had left.

He knew Rick was close when he felt Rick's balls draw up, so he sucked just that bit harder, swirled his tongue a little more, pushed on that nub faster...and Rick was coming hard in Daryl's mouth, Daryl taking it all in.

When Rick was spent Daryl crawled up his lover's body for a lingering kiss.

“Love ya , man,” Rick whispered between kisses.

Daryl held him tighter and kissed him with a bit more passion before getting off the bed to retrieve a towel for Rick.

“It wouldn't hurt ya to say it , ya know.” Rick huffed out.

“Just words, Rick.”

“Yeah, but they're nice to hear.”

But Daryl was already out of the bedroom and heading for the bathroom down the hall to brush his teeth before leaving. Daryl could hear Rick sigh all the way in the bathroom, it wasn’t like he hadn’t said the words before, just didn’t find it necessary to say it every damn day. If Rick didn’t know how he felt by now....well, best not to think about that. 

***

Daryl sat with his feet up on his desk, listening to the old man from down the road talk about life. Dale was retired from mechanic work, but he liked to hang out with Daryl and give his two cents worth when he could. He could grate on Daryl's nerves, but he was harmless.

He glanced out to the garage to see his three employees working hard on fixing cars, the radio blaring out some new rock song. Daryl liked the classics, but he didn’t mind some new ones the guys liked. Randall was busy changing out a tire, Bob was hooking up an engine to get it ready to pull, and Noah was cursing a stubborn bolt on an engine mount.

It was a beautiful early spring afternoon, so the doors were all open and a fan was slowly spinning behind him. He loved spring, not to o hot, not too cold. And it was the time of the year that Rick played ball the most, Daryl liked that too.

“So, it's good you got Bob to help you keep an eye on these kids. They'll need all the help the can get with these modern cars with their computers and extra gadgets.” Dale was telling him.

Daryl figured the real reason Dale had stopped working was because they had gotten more complicated. You needed  a  variety of computers as well as tools in a modern garage. Luckily, Daryl's garage stayed busy, so he had plenty of revenue to buy theses things.

The phone that had been sitting on this desk for the last twenty years rang just then.

“Daryl's garage,” Daryl answered.

“Wait, stop. Try again Shane.” Daryl was listening intently to what his boyfriend's best friend was telling him. “I'm on my way.”

Slamming the phone down he turned to Dale, “Rick hurt his knee at practice. They took him to the hospital. I need you to tell the guys and have Bob close up the shop at closing time. Do you think you can answer the phones for me?”

“Yes, of course. Is Rick going to be all right? Do you need anything?” Dale stood up and looked Daryl in the eye, his hand on a broad shoulder.

“No, just tell the guys I'll be back tomorrow.”

Daryl pushed his old Ford pickup as hard as he could safely get away with on his way to Grady Memorial. Smoked half a pack of cigarettes too. Shane had said that Rick was awake and coherent, but in a lot of pain. That didn't stop Daryl from worrying. Rick was in his last year of college and really wanted to end his baseball career on a high note, now all that might be gone.

***

“Rick Grimes.” Daryl told the receptionist at the front desk.

The gray haired lady behind the desk gave Daryl a dark look for his terse statement, but he didn't care. He wasn't here to make friends.

“I don't have a 'Rick Grimes',” she told him.

“His best friend just called me and said he was here, now where is he?” Daryl did not have time for this shit.

“I don't have him listed as a patient, could he be at another hospital?” The old lady asked him.

“No, he said he was bringing him here.”

“To the emergency room? I don't have those records, you will have to go to the emergency room. Just follow the blue arrows,” and she pointed down a long hall.

With a frustrated growl towards the mean old lady, he turned and hurried toward the emergency room. Why the hell didn't she just say that in the first place?

He spotted Shane as soon as he got to the waiting room, pacing around the drab space rubbing his head mercilessly. He'd obviously come straight from the field because he was still wearing his baseball t-shirt and shorts that they practiced in.

“Daryl,” Shane stopped his pacing when he saw Daryl.

“Where is he?” The worry in Daryl’s voice leaching out..

“They took him back and said that they would let us know.”

“Did ya call his mom and dad?” Daryl said as he walked around the room taking in the few other occupants and the old magazines piled up on the tables. 

“Yeah, they'll be here in a minute.”

Daryl nodded once and went to the receptionist's desk so she could let him back to see Rick. He had to make sure he was ok. Daryl wouldn't be able to handle him  _ not _ being ok.

“Rick Grimes.” Same terseness as before.

But this was no retiree volunteer, this was an actual nurse and she wasn't going to put up with Daryl's attitude, “What about him?”

Daryl squinted his eyes and took a step closer. Under normal circumstances he would have backed down and felt like a heel for being a jerk, but this wasn't normal times. This was Rick-was-hurt-and-in-the-hospital times.

“Where is Rick Grimes?” he said through his gritted teeth.

“Are you a family member?”

And damn, didn't that just pull him up short. Rick  _ was _ his family. Daryl had Merle and Rick, with the emphasis on Rick. But of course they wouldn't recognize that here.

“Yeah, he's my brother.” Daryl lied easily. Wasn't the first time he'd told someone he and Rick were brothers. Stopped the looks and the questions.

The nurse looked him up and down and hrmp ’ d, but pushed the button to let him back.

“He's in bed 12 , and he may be out for x-rays.” Daryl barely caught the last part, he'd already started walking as soon as she said the bed number.

But Rick wasn't there, so Daryl paced back  and  forth in front of the room as he waited, biting his thumb nail bloody in the process.

Luckily it was a light day in the emergency room, only Rick and an old guy crying in the corner. Daryl had felt sorry for the guy and had asked the nurse about him, but was told they would be moving the man in a few minutes. Daryl hoped somebody would have the decency to shoot him in the head if he ever got like that.

Soon enough he heard the squeak, squeak of a patient bed and turned to see Rick being pushed by an orderly. He and Rick were laughing at something, Rick flashing his beautiful smile at the man before he noticed Daryl standing in the middle of the emergency room, eyes just losing their fear.

“Daryl!” And damn if that smile didn't get bigger. Daryl would have blushed if he weren't so relieved.

“Is this your boyfriend?” the orderly asked.

“Yes, isn't he gorgeous?” Rick said to the man, never taking his eyes off Daryl.

“What kind of pain meds is he on?” Daryl asked the man that was positioning the bed back into place. Because Rick was definitely not feeling any pain at the moment.

“Not sure, maybe Oxy? Or Pecocet.”

“I think they gave him too much,” Daryl mumbled, not sure it the transporter was listening as he was already walking out of the room to move another patient.

“Daryl, baby, I hurt my knee.” Rick was pouting ( _ pouting _ for god's sake) at Daryl.

“I know. The doctors are gonna look at it and see if they can make it better.”

Rick's bottom lip quivered, “I won't be able to play any more.”

Shit, Daryl didn't know what to say to that. Rick's left knee was bandaged pretty hard, a good indication that it was really bad. It was propped up on 5 or 6 pillows, the whole leg out from under the blanket that covered the rest of Rick.

Daryl grabbed Rick's hand and held on, that's about all he knew to do. Hopefully a doctor would come by soon and let them know what was going on. Daryl hated sitting around worrying and doing nothing.

“Don't worry, we'll get through this together,” Daryl said as he rubbed a thumb across Rick's hand.

Rick soberly nodded his head, his eyes never leaving Daryl’s. They would get through this together, Daryl would make sure of it.

* **

“Careful Rick!” Daryl tried to slow Rick down, but he was hell bent on getting into their little apartment under his own power. The crutches he'd left the hospital with moving awkwardly as Rick tried to push himself to move as fast as he was used to going.

“I hate these damn things,” Rick said with a scowl.

“Well, if you don't take it easy, you’re going to have ta' use 'em a lot longer,” Daryl reasoned with Rick.

“I know,” Rick sighed as he crossed the threshold into their home. It was just a little place above the garage, but it was enough for the two of them.

Luckily he didn't have to go far to get to the couch so that he could lie down. Daryl went on a hunt to find some more pillows to prop up Rick's knee. They really didn't have very many, Daryl never really used one and Rick had only brought one from his parents house when he moved in. Daryl finally settled on an extra blanket that was tucked into the back of their closet.

When he got back to the living room, Rick was still trying to sit awkwardly on the couch, and with his bandaged knee not bending for him, it was tough going.

“What are you doing? You're supposed to be lying down.” Daryl was trying to be patient, but Rick seemed bound and determined to act like he was fine.

Rick just glared at Daryl as he rotated around and held his leg up for Daryl to put the blanket under his knee. He laid back with a huff as Daryl tried to get him comfortable.

“This would be a lot easier if you would quit fussin',” he told Rick, standing up and giving him a hard look.

“I don't like it,” Rick griped, “I don't like laying here, I don't like not being able to bend my knee, I don't like...”

“Christ, Rick. Nobody said you had to like it. But if you keep pouting and bitching, you're gonna make it harder for all of us.”

Rick crossed his arms with a huff and glared at Daryl some more. It was a damn good thing he was cute or Daryl would have really laid into him. Rick had been getting steadily crankier as they drove home, which was really wearing on Daryl.

Glancing at the clock on the microwave in the kitchen Daryl decided it might be time for Rick to take a pain pill. Going the ten steps from the living room into the kitchen he got Rick a water out of the fridge. Rick was supposed to drink a whole glass of water with each pill, so Daryl guessed a bottle of water would be enough.

Walking back to the living room, he handed the bottle to a still stewing Rick. He then opened the little white bag they'd gotten from the pharmacy on the way back from the hospital. The doctor in the emergency room had prescribed pain pills, muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatories.

After checking the prescription on each bottle, he doled out the correct amount for Rick to take. It had been long enough since he'd gotten any pain meds and he hadn't started the others yet. Rick took the pills grudgingly, but then just held them, looking at the four little pills in his hand.

“Take the pills Rick, they'll make you feel better.” Daryl coaxed him.

“I don't want to take a bunch of pills.”

“I know you don't. You told me that the whole way from the pharmacy. But the doctor said you need to take them so that your knee will heal.” Daryl patiently explained.

“It doesn't matter. I won't play ball again.” Rick then launched the pills as far as he could, the whole twenty feet of the living room and kitchen.

“What the fuck, Rick? Those pills weren't free.” Daryl huffed out as he went to retrieve the medicine. Rick was going to take them even if one of them did roll under the refrigerator.

Bringing them back over to his lover he squatted down so that he was level with Rick's face. Looking into Rick's eyes he could see the worry and how scared the man was, and Daryl didn't blame him one bit. He took Rick's hand and turned it palm upward so that he could again place the four little pills there, but this time he closed Rick's fingers around them.

Then, placing his hands on either side of Rick's face, he caught his lover's gaze and said, “I know you're scared. I know it hurts. But the doctor said if you take it easy and do the physical therapy, you'll be back to playing ball real soon. Didn't he say that people make full recoveries from torn meniscus all the time?”

Rick nodded his head, not taking his eyes from Daryl's, but the pain in his eyes was almost too much for Daryl to bear.

“Please take the medicine. We'll cut the pain pills in half tomorrow if you want, but it's only been since this morning that you did this and I bet it hurts like a  mother fucker.”

Rick nodded his head again and sat up a bit so that he could take a long pull from the water bottle before popping all the pills in his mouth at once. After drinking the rest of the bottle, he laid down on the couch, his eyes seeking out Daryl's.

“Why don't you go on and get some sleep and I'll have dinner for you when you wake up, ok?”

“Stay her e for just another minute, please?” Rick asked him.

Daryl could never say no when Rick said please, so he leaned in and gave a chaste kiss before settling down next to the couch to wait for Rick to fall asleep.

***

“Hey Bob. Yeah, I'm gonna hang out at home with Rick today... Nah, that Ford can wait. Get that Impala running. And make sure Randall doesn't take two hours for lunch, the little shit...I should be back tomorrow or the next day....Yeah, I'll tell him...Give me a call if anything comes up...And be nice to Dale, he brings in work.”

“God damn it!” Rick exclaimed right before he fell in a heap in the hallway.

“Told yer dumb ass to wait for me!” Daryl hollered at him as he hung up the phone.

“You ain't going to be here all the time and I can fucking figure it out by myself!” Rick hollered back as he awkwardly pushed himself back up on his crutches.

“Ya just got the damn things yesterday. How do you expect to be able ta run around here already?”

“I wasn't runnin'. I was just trying to get in the goddamn bathroom.” Rick's ire was plain on his face and his eyes were taking on that steely eyed glint that meant he was about done.

“Let me help ya.”

Rick pursed his lips, but let Daryl open the bathroom door for him and then accepted the shoulder Daryl offered to steady himself enough to use the toilet.

“Fucking embarrassin', can't even take a piss by myself.” Rick said morosely.

Daryl didn't say anything, just helped Rick wash his hands and then followed him to the couch to make sure he was comfortable.

Daryl could see the meds he had set out for Rick an hour ago still sitting in the table. The bottle of water was half empty at least, so maybe Rick wouldn't get dehydrated. With a sigh, he scooped up the little pills and held them out to Rick.

“They just put me to sleep,” Rick complained.

“Ya heal when you're asleep,” Daryl explained, “Now take your damn pills. You're getting grumpy.”

“Fine, but could I get a kiss first?”

“After.”

Rick huffed out a breath, but took the pills from Daryl and then the water bottle when Daryl offered it. Once Rick had taken the pills he gave Daryl an expectant look. Smirking at his patient, Daryl obliged and leaned in for a quick, but hot kiss, his tongue making it's way past Rick's lips to explore.

After breaking the kiss, Daryl stood up and fished the blanket off the back of the couch to cover up Rick so he could sleep.

“You were just checking to make sure I took the pills, weren't you?” Rick asked him as he settled into the couch.

Daryl gave him another smirk as he retrieved the now empty water bottle. Rick could always figure him out.

Rick spent a week on the couch since it was much easier for him to get in and out of than the bed would have been. He hated it and so did Daryl, but they both knew it was for the best. It made it easier for Daryl to take care of him as well, being only steps from the kitchen and the front door. Daryl could run up the back stairs at lunch and make the two of them some food and make sure Rick took his meds before going back to work. And then he'd come straight back at night to do it all over again.

Rick had to go see a specialist who recommended physical therapy and not surgery, which Daryl was very thankful for. He did not want to deal with a post-op Rick if post-emergency room Rick was anything to go by.

“So the therapy place wants me to come by for two hours every other day to start and then I will get evaluated after two weeks. I'll have to go back to the specialist then too.” Rick told Daryl over spaghetti the next Wednesday.

“What time? I can get ya there an' back pretty easy.” Daryl said before he slurped a large fork full of noodles.

“My mom said she could take me.”

Daryl's eyes darted up to Rick's. It wasn't that he had a problem with Rick's mom, far from it. She treated him like another son. But he wanted to take care of Rick. Wanted to be there for him.

“Look, Daryl, you've missed too much time down at the shop as it is. I don't want you to jeopardize your garage just to take care of me.”

Daryl looked down at his bowl of spaghetti before answering, not wanting to look Rick in the eye, “You're more important than the garage.” Daryl then got up abruptly and took his bowl to the sink.

That shut Rick up. Daryl was at the garage as much as possible to keep it running. Other than what Rick got from his scholarships and grants for his schooling, it was the only money they were making. Sure, after school was out, Rick would get a good job, but for now it was their only source of real income and Daryl swore he would never be poor again, so he worked. And for him to be here with Rick instead of down working, that was like Daryl shouting from the rooftops. 

“Hey, come here,” Rick motioned for Daryl to come back to the table.

Daryl bit his lip, but nodded and stood next to Rick's chair at the table. He'd let his hair fall in his eyes, trying to hide his emotions. But Rick had known him far too long to be tricked by that.

Getting awkwardly to his feet, he leaned into Daryl and wrapped his arms around his lover. “I can call mom and tell her not to worry about it. I'm sure you'll want to scope the place out any how.”

“Your mom'll get mad.”

“Nah, she's already been here three times this week. She'll just come on the days I don't have therapy.”

Daryl hugged Rick back and took a deep breath, wanting to breath this moment in. They rarely touched like this and never in public, Daryl having trouble with showing affection. But he'd been so worried and Rick had been in so much pain, so he would take a minute this time.

***

Daryl parked his truck in the lot of the rehab center as close to the front door as he could. There were a lot of handicapped spots but they were all taken, which made sense, so he still had to park pretty far away from the door.

By the time he got around to the other side to help Rick, his lover had already gotten his door open and was trying to finagle himself out. But the crutches were in the back of the truck, so he was stuck half in and half out, not being able to balance on one foot just yet.

Daryl blew his bangs out of his eyes as he got the crutches and gave them to Rick who grabbed them less than gracefully. Rick was still grumpy about the whole thing, hating being stuck in one place.

“I got it,” he grunted as he wobbled out of the truck.

Daryl held the door for him and then held a crutch as Rick signed in for his first appointment. They sat in a small waiting room to wait for a physical therapist named Alisha to show Rick around.

“Hi there!” A fit looking brunette with a wide smile came out to greet them.

“Hi,” Rick replied and struggled to his feet, ignoring Daryl's outstretched hand.

She took his hand in a quick firm shake and looked at Daryl expectantly. Even after four years of being together it was hard for Daryl to  _ say  _ the words that would tell people they were together. So Rick usually did it, “This here is my partner, Daryl.”

This was the part that Daryl was always leary about. Would they go with it, pretend like they didn’t understand exactly what partner meant, or would they give them a look of disgust. 

Luckily, Alisha’s smile didn’t falter, “Great! Then you’ll be able to make sure he stays on track at home and doesn’t over do it?”

Daryl only nodded his head while Rick let out a sigh. Daryl had permission to be a mother hen now and Rick was going to hate it.

“So, we'll take a tour and then set up a routine for you to get you back to pre-injury status. You play baseball, right?”

“Won't play ball agai n, ” Rick said matter-of-factually.

“Sure you will! You just have to work hard and stay focused on your goals,” She said brightly.

“No, by the time I'm done with rehab the season will be over. And I'm not good enough for pro ball.”

“Rick...” Daryl started.

“No, I don't want to talk about it. Let's just get today over with.” Rick's eyes scanned around the room full of equipment, not even looking at Daryl.

Daryl bit his lip, but didn't say anything. Rick was in a mood and it wouldn't do any good to try and antagonize him here. They could talk about it at home.

Rick was exhausted by the time they had finished their tour and discussed his rehab plan. He was  quiet  the whole way home, taking his medicine and going to bed as soon as they got there.

Daryl made sure he to leave some water by Rick’s sleeping head before leaving for the shop, his heart heavy.

***

“So, Alisha will be my physical therapist when I go and I'll see the specialist every two weeks until I'm done with rehab.” Rick told Daryl that night over dinner. His mom had come by and woken him from his nap that afternoon and had brought some frozen lasagna for the boys to eat for dinner. She was still sure that neither of them were capable of producing a decent meal.

“Sound's good.” Daryl replied before stuffing a large piece of pasta in his mouth, he knew that anyway because he’d been right there when Alisha was telling Rick that, but he wouldn’t say anything. He knew Rick just had to come to terms with how things were going to be.

“There's going to be a regular group of us that will work together most days. Folks with similar...injuries.” It was still hard for Rick to talk about it as an injury and not a tragedy, but he was getting there.

Daryl nodded his head before taking a drink of water. This was usually how their meals went, Rick talking and Daryl nodding his head and eating. It was nice to get back to it after Rick's moody silences for the past few days. This rehab might be good for his body and his mind.

“It'll be four hours a day, four days a week. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.”

“They gonna charge extra for Saturday?” Daryl asked.

“Nah, I don't think so. And the school's paying for it all anyhow.” Rick told him.

“Right,” Daryl replied as he stuffed more pasta into his mouth.

“I think I want to sleep in the bed tonight,” Rick said as he pushed the food on his plate around.

“All right. I'll grab the couch then.”

“NO! No, I – I want to-I want you to be there , too. I- I miss you Daryl.” Rick's eyes had a panicked look.

“Don't wanna hurt ya,” Daryl said as he put a hand on Rick's shoulder.

“I know, but I don't think I can spend another night alone.”

“Yeah, ok.” Truth be told, Daryl had had trouble sleeping without Rick's warm body by his side. He'd gotten up in the night and tip-toed down the hallway to check on Rick more than what was probably necessary just to ease his mind that Rick really was still there.

“How long will you be going to rehab?”

“Don't know, that's why I have to see the specialist every two weeks. Could be a month, could be six.”

Daryl swooped in and took the plate from Rick who was trying to get up and pick his plate up at the same time. He knew that one or the other would land on the floor if he didn't. Rick, of course, huffed out a breath in agitation, but Daryl didn't care. Rick would be doubly pissed if he landed on his ass.

“Wanna play poker tonight?”

“Hell no! You always win.” Rick said with a mock pout.

“I think there's a special about WWII on tonight.” Daryl offered.

“Nah, I'm kinda burnt on it.”

Daryl went to the refrigerator and got out a couple of beers, “Want to hang out on the deck for a bit?”

“Yeah, ok.”

Daryl made sure Rick was settled on one of the plastic chairs, the foot of his injured leg on another in front of him, before he settled in his own chair next to Rick. There wasn't much of a view off their deck, but it was quiet and they could hear the crickets.

Rick held out his hand expectantly and Daryl looked at it for a minute before taking it into his own. No one could see them up here anyway. Rick tightened his fingers around Daryl's and rubbed his thumb along the back of his knuckles. It was nice.

“I miss you,” Rick said presently.

“I'm right here , Rick,” Daryl shook his head, didn't they just talk about this?

“No, it's been weeks. And that was just a morning BJ.”

“Oh,” Daryl looked up at the stars, his eyes tracing the outline of the Milky Way. “Don't want to hurt you.” He missed Rick too, but he wouldn't let on. He didn't want Rick to feel guilty or anything.

“You would never hurt me,” Rick was looking at Daryl, he could feel those eyes like laser beams burning into his head as he tried desperately not to look at his lover.

“ 'S why we ain't gonna do nothin' until you're better.”

Rick huffed out a breath before taking a long pull of his beer. Daryl could feel the disappointment rolling off him in waves, but he wouldn't look. Because if he did, he would cave, and Rick knew it too.

Maybe after Rick could put some weight on his knee again they could fool around. But not one minute before that. There was still time in the season and if Rick did well in rehab he might actually get to play a few games before it was done. And Daryl was not going to jeopardize Rick's chances of playing the game he loved so much.

Sleeping in the bed together again after so many days apart was nice, but with having to prop up Rick's knee it was a bit awkward. They never really had snuggled or anything like that, but they would lay like nearly touching puzzle pieces. And sometimes in the night one or the other would slip a hand close enough to feel the warmth of the other. Touching an arm or a side. But holding each other, being wrapped up in each other? No.

The pain meds that Rick took helped him to fall heavily asleep, so Daryl took the opportunity to watch  him  as he slept. They were both fairly light sleepers and if Rick had felt Daryl looking at him any other time he would have popped an eye open to see what was the matter. But right now his face was relaxed and his eyes rolled slowly under his lids in dreams.

Daryl would do anything for Rick, even if Rick didn't want him to. Rick had been his savior, his reason for going on and being somebody instead of just another low life redneck. And for some reason the dumbass loved Daryl. 

***

They fell into a new rhythm for the next few weeks. Daryl would take Rick to rehab when he had it in the morning and then pick him up at lunch time. Then they'd drive thru and eat on the drive home.

The first few days Rick would be exhausted and barely make it into the apartment before collapsing on the couch. Daryl would get him his meds and then he'd be out like a light. Barely awake enough to notice Daryl a few hours later checking on him.

When Daryl got home they either ate what Rick's mom had brought over (she still came by three times a week) or Daryl would go and pick something up. Rick didn't want to go out anywhere just yet. He had a tutor from the school come in twice a week so he didn't get too far behind, but it was the end of his senior year, and he had so much test prep to do.

It was Saturday of the second week before Rick rebelled. He was sitting on the couch, his leg propped up on pillows and Daryl was trying to give him his after rehab medicine.

“I don't want any more of those pain meds, they just make me groggy.”

“They help you sleep and ya heal when ya sleep. We done talked about this.”

“I can manage without them. And I don't want to sleep any more.”

“Damn it Rick, you get bitchy when you're hurting and right now you  _ are  _ being a bitch.”

Rick stubbornly looked at Daryl, eyes narrowed in willful resistance.

Daryl sighed, “Look, I'll make ya a deal. You don't have to take the afternoon meds on the days you don't have rehab. But you need to take these because Alicia said you pushed yourself too hard today.”

Rick bit his lip and looked at the back of the couch. “Hate this stupid couch. Tired of looking at it. As soon as I’m on my feet again, we’re getting a new leather one with…”

“Rick.”

“Yeah, ok. I'll take them today.”

“Good. Here.”

Rick took the proffered pill grudgingly. Daryl knew he hated them, Rick complained they not only made him groggy all the time but they made him constipated too. Daryl was sure if Rick had his way, he would have chucked them by now. But there was no way in hell that Daryl would let him just stop taking them. For one, they weren’t free (he didn’t even want to think about how much he could get on the street for them), and two, they were almost gone anyway. Might as well take them all.

Rick was hell bent on getting rid of the crutches. He never really got the hang of them, never being patient enough to figure them out. Daryl had a bad habit of moving them too. Rick had called him once angry that Daryl had moved them all the way into the kitchen and Rick had to piss. 

And Daryl was tired of hearing how he was driving Rick crazy with the no sex thing. They hadn't gone this long without sex since the time they were broke n up senior year. Rick bitching about not even getting a hand job. The rules hadn't changed either, Rick still wasn't allowed to touch his own dick unless Daryl told him he could. Rick had even thought about it, Daryl was sure of that.

Daryl had at least promised that he wouldn't jerk off if Rick couldn't have any. Rick was sly though, so Daryl had to be careful. One wrong move and Daryl would hot foot it to the couch. No sex would be had until long after Rick had been released from rehab, and that was just too sad for words, but it was the way it had to be.

“It's hot in here.”

Daryl looked at Rick and then looked in the direction of the thermostat. “I ain't turning the air up.”

It was actually an old argument. Daryl had grown up without much A/C, just a window unit in the main room of the trailer he grew up in, so he was used to it being a bit warmer. Rick on the other hand had had whole house A/C and it had never been above sixty-eight.

Daryl couldn't understand how Rick could 'stand around' playing baseball in the Georgia heat and then come home and bitch if the house was above seventy degrees. Which is what they'd settled on. Daryl would be happy at seventy-five, but Rick would feel like he was dying, so it was seventy.

Rick knew it was seventy now, and he knew Daryl wouldn't adjust the temperature. In fact, he knew what Daryl would tell him next.

“If you're so hot, go change out of those pants and put on a lighter shirt.”

Rick grimaced and made a big deal about getting up, but Daryl just let him fuss. He expected Rick to swap the sweats for the basketball shorts he’d been wearing because they were easier to get on and off with his knee all messed up. Daryl did not expect Rick to come back out without a stitch of clothing on.

“The fuck you doing?”

“I’m hot, so I thought I would get comfortable.”

Daryl looked over Rick’s right shoulder and said, “Put some damn shorts on or something.”

Rick tilted his head to catch Daryl’s eye, “Why? Just you and me here and you seen me naked plenty of times.”

“Fine,” Daryl huffed out. He just wouldn’t look. He had his Sudoku puzzle to work on anyway.

Rick gave a half smile and laid back down on the couch, the foot of his good leg resting against Daryl’s thigh, the other one laying off the couch. Daryl didn’t look. He was too busy trying to figure out if this box needed a four or a sex..six. Four or a  **six** .

“Rub my foot?” Rick asked. It was a fair request. It did bother him since he had to hobble so much on it, and it wasn’t the first time he’d asked. 

Daryl switched his pencil to his left hand as he let his right settle on Rick’s foot to massage it. It would be harder to write the numbers, but he could do it. And it wasn’t like he needed to look at Rick to rub his foot for him.

Daryl had finally decided that the box needed a se..six when Rick let out a long low moan. The pencil fell out of his hand as his eyes darted to Rick.

And damn if Rick didn’t have his head thrown back and half a stiffy working on becoming full on hard. Daryl immediately stopped. 

Rick’s head snapped up and he gave Daryl a petulant look, “Why’d you stop?”

Daryl narrowed his eyes, “I’m on to you.”

“What?” Rick’s eyes widened just enough that Daryl knew he’d caught on to what Rick was doing. 

“Don’t try that bull…”

Just then Rick’s cell phone chirped. Rick retrieved it from the side table and smiled as he read the text.

“Your mom again?” Daryl asked.

“Nah. One of the therapists, Joe. Asking if I’d taken my meds like I was supposed to.” Rick explained as he typed a reply.

“What happened to Alisha?”

“Oh, she’s still my therapist, but Joe heard her talking to me about it and I guess he wanted to get on me about it too. Ouch!”

“Shit, sorry.” Daryl had inadvertently squeezed Rick’s foot when he heard that  _ Joe _ wanted to get on Rick. “How’d he get your number?”

Rick looked up from his phone and thought a few seconds before shrugging and said, “I guess from my chart? They probably all have access to everyone’s chart. It’s fine. He’s a cool guy, ya know? He messed up his knee in a motorcycle accident and went to the same place to get it fixed. He liked it so much he went back to school to become a therapist himself. Everyone says he’s a stickler and has a bit of a crazy streak, but he’s been cool with me.”

Daryl could just imagine. Even Rick with a bum knee and pissed off about it was hotter than any average guy. “When do I get to meet him?”

Rick cocked his head to the side, “Dunno. Maybe next week? He’s not always there when I am. Or actually, he wasn’t, I guess he’s been there the last three times or so.”

Daryl went back to rubbing Rick’s foot a thoughtful expression on his face. Rick was pretty clueless when guys hit on him. He’d always laugh it off when Daryl pointed it out to him. Rick’s mom had told Daryl it was because Rick only ever had eyes for him and no one else. 

Rick’s phone chirped again. Shaking his head he tapped out a reply. Daryl resisted the urge to ask what the exchange was about, instead giving up on the sudoku game and using both hands to massage Rick’s foot.

“Mmm, that feels nice.”

Daryl let his hands work up Rick’s calf and back down to his foot in long firm strokes. 

Rick’s head fell back and his cock perked up again, “Very nice…”

Daryl readjusted himself on the couch so that he could reach Rick’s thigh and further up. Rick’s phone chirped again. Before he had a chance to read what it said, Daryl grabbed his cock and gave it a firm squeeze.

“Shit!” Rick said as he dropped the phone. Daryl smiled as he saw it drop to the floor and bounce under the table out of Rick’s reach.

“Oh, please don’t stop!” Rick cried plaintively.

“Won’t, baby.”

“Oh fuck, “ Rick breathed out.

“Not quite, but I think I’ll let you have this tonight,” Daryl said. And then he lowered his head and and took Rick in his mouth.

“Oh, holy  _ hell _ .” Rick put his hands behind his head and held onto the arm of the couch for dear life. 

Daryl figured Rick wouldn’t last long since it’d been a month or more since they’d fooled around, so he didn’t waste anytime getting a finger wet with spit and tapping at Rick’s hole.

Rick launched into a litany then of, “Oh! Yes, yes, please, yes. Oh please Daryl, yes.” 

Daryl took a second to think back to the first time they’d had real sex when they were both seventeen and he’d used enough lube for a whole orgy. And now it was just gonna be as much spit as he could manage, because there was no way he was stopping and getting the lube. It would just give Rick time to pick up that phone again.

He wet his finger again between bobbing his head on Rick and finally had enough built up to push it in. If he hadn’t known before now it had been a month since he’d visited, he knew now. Rick was tight as a virgin. Well, as tight as Rick was as a virgin. Daryl didn’t have anything else to compare it to.

Rick had passed speaking and now was in full on moan mode, which meant he wouldn’t last much longer. Daryl pulled his finger out and spit a bit more before putting it back and searching for…

“FUCK!”

...Rick’s prostate. 

Daryl smirked around his mouthful of Rick’s dick. It wouldn’t be long now. 

“Please, please, please…”

Daryl popped off and looked at Rick with a raised eyebrow, “Please what?"

Rick whined low in his throat, “Please may I come, Daryl?”

Before Daryl could answer he could hear that fucking phone chirp again. At least Rick didn’t look around for it.

Daryl shook his head, “Not yet. You been bitching about this for weeks, so you ain’t getting off that quick.”

Rick really did look pretty when he pouted. So pretty, in fact, that Daryl had to sit up and pull his own cock out to relieve the pressure. 

After getting everything adjusted to his liking, Daryl went back to his task. This time, with a hand firmly wrapped around the base of Rick’s cock to help him hold off until Daryl was ready to allow him to come. 

It wasn’t until Rick had started jerking his bad leg that Daryl relented. He sure as hell wasn’t going to let Rick hurt himself. Wasn’t that the whole reason he’d held out this long anyway? 

Looking up at Rick, Daryl let go of Rick’s cock and waited to catch his eye. As soon as he did, Daryl gave a little nod and then sucked Rick all the way in and jabbed at Rick’s prostate in the way that made him come every time.

And it was almost as good as the first time Rick had given Daryl a blow job when it was Daryl that was hurt. Rick lay boneless after, Daryl wiped his mouth and sat up and grabbed himself in hand. He was done in just a few hard pulls, something about Rick all blissed out from sex made Daryl’s heart stutter and he never lasted more than a minute after Rick.

Rick’s lazy smile when Daryl was done made him blush. How Rick could be happy about having Daryl’s come all over him, Daryl would never know, but he liked how it looked. 

Rick put out a hand and beckoned to Daryl, “Come here.”

Daryl hesitated long enough for Rick to punch out an exaggerated sigh so that he reared up, grabbed Daryl by his shirt and pulled making Daryl fall down on top of Rick. Daryl scrambled to get back up, but Rick put both arms around him and held tight.

“Love you,” Rick whispered in Daryl’s ear. 

Daryl let himself be held and kissed Rick on the side of his head. 

“Don’t worry, I know what you’re gonna say,” Rick said. 

Just then the fucking phone went off again. Rick sighed, but before he could reach for it Daryl said, “You know I do , man, since I was twelve.”

Rick smiled and gave up on the phone to put his arm back around Daryl, “I know. I can see it everyday.” He gave Daryl another squeeze and then said, “Now get off me. You’re heavy and you got your jizz all over me.”

Daryl snorted, “That’s on you , man. You wanted to fool around and then drug me down here.”

Rick rolled his eyes, “Right, right. Ok, get off so I can grab a shower.”

Being careful not to jostle Rick’s bum leg, Daryl got up and then helped Rick up and sent him to the shower. 

Daryl was already thinking about meeting this Joe fella. He’d really like to get the size of the man to see if it was just concern for Rick’s welfare or something else. Because if it was something else, Joe was gonna have his hands full of a very pissed off Daryl Dixon.

*** 

“Daryl, you don’t have to come in with me.”

Yes, yes Daryl did have to come in with Rick. He hadn’t since the first time they’d come for the tour, Rick too damn stubborn to let Daryl help him. But now with this asshat, Joe, making a move on Rick, Daryl sure as shit wasn’t letting him walk in there alone.

“Ain’t been in with ya for a while and wanted to see what all you were doing,” Daryl said with as straight a face as he could muster.

Rick wasn’t dumb, “You ain’t worried about Joe , are ya?”

“Ain’t,” Daryl said. “But he might be worried about me ‘fore the day is done.”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake Daryl!” Rick grouched as he negotiated the door to the rehab center. “I told you that he’s only professionally concerned.”

“Well, I’m gonna professionally concern his ass if he keeps texting you while we’re having sex.”

“Oh, please. That’s the first time we’ve done anything since...oh hi , Alisha!”

“Hi , Rick! Oh, I see you brought Daryl with you! Have you come to see how it’s going?” She asked with a bright smile.

Daryl nodded his head, his eyes sweeping the place for Joe. He wasn’t sure what he looked like, but if he was a former biker….ah, there he was. Kneeling over a guy that was laying on a mat that looked like he’d just gotten the shit beat out of him. Daryl took in the graying long hair and beard and checked out the motorcycle boots, that mostly sealed the deal. And by the way the man’s eyes shifted from his patient to Rick and swept up and down the long lean frame, that was definitely Joe. 

It took a minute, but Joe finally noticed Daryl. Standing tall with a hand to Rick’s back, Daryl gave the man the long beady stare that he’d learned from Merle. Joe smirked and cocked his head in Daryl’s direction before turning his attention back to his patient. 

Rick snorted behind him, “You done pissin’ yet?”

“Ain’t pissing. Just standing next to ya.”

“Whatever. Alisha’s gonna help me stretch out before I do my real exercises, you gonna hang out for all of that?”

“Yeah, ‘course I will,” Daryl said.

Alisha led them over to a mat that wasn’t far from Joe and helped Rick get in position on his back. She took his brace off and set it aside before moving Rick’s leg in a series of complicated maneuvers with her hand behind his knee holding it steady. Rick grunted every now and then, but mostly tolerated it okay.

Daryl swore as he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. It was probably the garage. Bob wouldn’t call unless it was important.

“ ‘Scuse me,” he said as he walked over to a secluded spot by the window. “What’s up, Bob?” he asked by way of greeting.

“Man, I am so sorry to bother you, but that part we been waiting a week on for that old Audi is wrong and the kid’s mom is raising all kinds of hell.”

“Bob, you’re better at pissed off women than I am, why you calling me?”

“She is threatening to call the county attorney and file a complaint.”

“What the fuck , man, just show her the invoice and stuff. The numbers won’t match up, and then she can take it up with the supplier.” Daryl traced his eyes back to where Rick was still laying on his back. But now instead of Alisha pushing his leg around, it was Joe.

Daryl swore again, “Bob, tell her we won’t charge her for the labor, just the part...when it comes in. And if that don’t make her happy, call Dale and see if he can reason with her.”

“But Daryl…” Bob didn’t get a chance to argue anymore because Daryl had hung up and was halfway across the floor, eyes blazing, and heading straight for that fucker, Joe.

“Hey Daryl,” Rick said with a smile as soon as Daryl was close enough. That brought him up short. Rick’s smile always made Daryl’s heart skip a beat. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, Bob says we got a wrong part in and the owner is having a fit and threatening to report us or something.”

“Can’t you just show them the invoice?” Rick asked with a wince as he pushed against Joe’s hand with his knee. 

“Done told him that. Is he hurting you?” Daryl gave Joe a suspicious look.

Joe laughed, “Gotta hurt a bit to get better, doesn’t it , Rick?”

Rick grimaced, “Yeah. Oh, you haven’t met Daryl. My partner.”

Joe carefully set down Rick’s leg and wiped his hands on his knee and stuck out one for Daryl to shake, “Joe.”

Daryl took the hand and gave as firm a squeeze as he could without looking like he was squeezing, “Daryl.”

“Ya’ll business partners in a garage or something?” Joe asked, not even flinching and squeezing back just as hard.

Rick darted his eyes to Daryl, but before he could answer Daryl said, “No. Bed partners. I run the garage and Rick goes to college and plays ball.”

“Um, yeah,” Rick said with a bewildered look on his face.

“Oh!” Joe laughed. “Guess I wasn’t paying close enough attention.”

Daryl squinted his eyes at the obvious lie, but wouldn’t call him out on it while he had Rick’s sore knee in his hands. 

Ignoring Daryl’s sour look, Joe went on, “Got troubles at your garage?”

“Nothin’ I can’t handle,” Daryl said.

“Oh, I’m sure! Where is it? I got a car’s been actin’ up and could use some expert advice.”

Before Daryl could call Joe out on another bald ass lie, Rick answered for him, “Over by the old quarry. Used to be Morales’ place?”

“Oh! Right, right. Morales was a good man. An honest man. Hard to find an honest mechanic anymore.” 

Rick tilted his head and looked Joe square in the face, “Daryl is the most honest person I’ve ever met.”

“Oh! Didn’t mean no offence! Just heard ya say you were having trouble with a customer. My apologies.”

“None taken,” Daryl growled out. “Why you doing this instead of Alisha anyway?” He didn’t even see the bubbly brunette anywhere.

“Well, Rick here is a tough guy and poor old Alisha just couldn’t hold back as hard as he needed.” 

Daryl looked down at Rick who was starting to sweat a bit, “Hmm. That so?”

Rick laughed, “Yeah, got mad one day and I guess I pushed when she wasn’t expectin’ it and she landed right on her ass.”

“I figured Rick here could use someone with a bit more,” he paused and looked Daryl up and down, “experience.”

Daryl’s eyes went wide and he took a step, but before he even put his foot down his phone buzzed in his pocket again. Growling low in his throat, he turned and pulled it from his pocket to answer it.

“What!”

“Damn, Daryl. I already got this lady screaming from the rafters, I don’t need you yelling at me too,” Bob said over the phone.

“Sorry. What’s she screaming about now?” 

Bob let out a long breath, “Says she’s gonna call the cops ifn’ she don’t talk to the boss.”

“Shit. Fine. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Daryl sighed.

He sighed again as he walked over to where Rick and Joe were working, “Rick, I gotta go. I’ll be back to get ya when I get this straightened out.”

“Okay, babe. I’ll text ya when I’m done.”

Daryl nearly bent down to kiss Rick right there, but there were just too many people around and he needed to go. 

“See ya in a few,” he threw over his shoulder, making long strides to the front door, already scrolling through his contact list for Morgan’s garage across town.

“Hey, Morgan. It’s Daryl. You think you can send a tow truck over to my place and pick up an old Audi and it’s owner? I’ll pay you an extra $50 if you send them right fucking now.”

***

Daryl paced nervously around his little office. Rick should have texted by now. It was only ten minutes past the end of his session, maybe he was taking a piss or something. Or maybe they ran long, he’d done that before. Rick liked to push as hard as Alisha would let him. And knowing that Joe fella, he’d let Rick push pretty hard.

When Daryl had gotten back to the shop he’d wrangled the nasty woman out of his office and out of the garage. Then he had Bob get the car out of the garage and get it ready for Morgan to come get it. 

“My friend Morgan’s been a mechanic longer than I been alive, he’ll get you fixed up right quick, “ Daryl said with as much civility as he could manage.

“I don’t want Morgan to work on my car! He charges almost twice as you do!” griped the woman. She was a middle aged dyed red-head that looked like she lived in flip flops and mumus. 

“Well, like I said, he’s been doing this a lot longer and he’s got more guys on the payroll,” Daryl gritted out.

Just then Morgan’s tow truck showed up, driven by one of his employees. One of the Wolf boys, Daryl could never keep their names straight, but it looked like it was the one that needed a haircut and a dentist. At least he wasn’t a dumbshit like the other two. 

“I’m not paying for a tow!” the woman screamed.

“Lady, I’ll pay for the tow and all the repairs, just get you and that damn car off my lot right now ‘afore I call the cops on you for disturbing the peace!” 

The woman gaped her mouth like a fish before turning in a huff and getting in her equally shitty Olds and roared out of the lot.

Daryl told the guys to take a long lunch and they all scurried out, not wanting to bear witness to Daryl’s foul mood.

And now Daryl was pacing waiting for Rick’s text. He could probably go ahead and leave, but he didn’t want to leave the shop until the last minute. Letting the guys leave without a set time to come back was a bad idea now that he thought about it.

The bell rang to let Daryl know a car had pulled into the lot. He looked out to see a mint condition Mustang Grande, ‘bout the worst Mustang to ever be built, not only was it butt ugly, but it had no ass. Looked to be a ‘73 too.

Daryl was just wondering what kind of stupid aftermarket shit he was going to have to put on it when he saw Joe hop out of the driver seat and run around to help Rick out of the the passenger side. And instead of the crutches, he had a cane. Daryl narrowed his eyes to slits and hot footed it out the front door.

Joe was looking around the empty garage as he held onto Rick’s elbow. 

“Joe, I’m good,” Rick said as he pulled his arm free and hobbled over to Daryl. “Where is everyone?”

“Sent ‘em all out to lunch.”

Joe huffed, “Slow enough to send ‘em all at once?”

Daryl swiveled his head around to Joe, “No. Had a bad customer in here that got everyone worked up, so I sent ‘em out on my dime to cool off.” He turned back to Rick, “Thought you was gonna text me?”

“Well, I was, but Joe said he was gonna go out to lunch and then he said he wanted to talk to you about getting his car looked at.”

Daryl looked at the Mustang again, “What’s wrong with it?”

Joe laughed, “Oh, no! Not my Mustang. Got an Aztek that I take camping and it’s starting to ping. Guess I shoulda switched to the high milage oil sooner.”

“I’ll take a look at it, but sounds like you’re gonna need a new engine if it’s pinging.” Daryl would bet the amount of money he wasted today because of Joe that the asshat knew damn good and well he was gonna need a new engine. And could probably do the work himself.

“Yeah, was afraid of that. Okay, Rick. See ya next week!” Joe said as he turned and got in his car. He tried to get it to roar out of the lot, but it just didn’t have the engine to really do it, so it just sounded an over revved engine.

Rick had already hobbled all the way into the office by the time Daryl caught up with him. “When are the guys gonna be back? I was hoping we could grab some lunch.”

“Don’t know. Probably be another hour. They just left like twenty minutes ago.” Daryl said as he shut the door and locked it. “How’s your leg feeling?”

“Not too bad. We spent a lot of time cooling it down and then the specialist came by and said I was ready to get off the crutches. He cut back on the pain meds too.”

Daryl crowded Rick up against the desk, “That’s awesome, Rick. Glad to hear it.”

“Um, Daryl?”

“Shhh,” Daryl said as he pushed Rick back until he was sitting on the desk. “Figured we could take advantage of the quiet.”

“But you could have customers come in!”

“We’ll be quick. Just always wanted to do this, ya know?” Daryl’s lips were a hair’s breadth away from Rick’s.

Rick licked his lips, “You wanna give me another blow job?”

“Nah, got that last night. Gonna fuck you over my desk.”

“Holy hell, Daryl! We ain’t even got any lube, and you sure as shit ain’t gonna use engine grease on me.”

Daryl smirked, “How rednecked do you think I am?”

He turned around and grabbed the jacket that was hanging on the coat rack by the filing cabinet. “Had a bottle of lube in here since Easter. Was gonna do you after the family thing, but you were too tuckered out. And then I left my jacket down here since then. So, yeah we got lube.”

“Well, all right then.” Rick said with that big smile of his.

Rick had gotten pretty good with getting his pants off with the brace, Daryl wasn’t going to chance it, so even though the pants came off, the brace stayed on. He was only going to push his pants down far enough to expose himself, no need to get crazy and naked.

There wasn’t a lot of teasing either. Daryl was too keyed up still from the crazy lady and that fuckhat Joe. This was gonna be quick and dirty.

He sucked on Rick’s neck in the place that always made him whimper while Daryl worked a lubed up finger in Rick’s tight little hole. By the time Daryl had worked his way up to two fingers scissoring, Rick’s shirt was off and he was begging...hard.

“Please , Daryl! God, I want you so bad. Been too long, just fuck me, please!”

As pretty as Rick looked when he begged, Daryl did remember where they were and what time of day it was. The guys were more likely to come back on time as opposed to staying out. One of the reasons they’d been hired was because of their stellar work ethic. Well, except for Randall. 

Daryl dragged Rick to the edge of the desk and positioned the bad knee on his shoulder where he could hold it steady and then lined up his cock and pushed in as slow as he could manage considering it had been almost six weeks since they’d had real sex. 

Rick hissed between his teeth, but didn’t ask Daryl to stop or slow down. He just held onto the edge of the desk and pushed back, trying to get as much of Daryl into himself as he could - greedy bastard.

Daryl really did try and go slow considering, but Rick was having none of it and rocked his hips as hard as he could as soon as he figured out how to make levage holding onto the desk. 

“Touch me Daryl, please? Wanna come.” Rick moaned.

“Can’t you come on just my dick, baby?” Daryl teased. Rick had come hands free many a time, but that was after Daryl had worked him up for a long time first. Rick had told him there was nothing like it and so if they had the time, they tried for it. Didn’t always work, but it was fun working toward the goal.

“Yeah, yeah. Just not now. Not enough time. Later, later I can come on your dick.” Rick panted out in time to Daryl’s thrusts.

“Truth be told, you look so damn hot I don’t think I can hold out anyhow,” Daryl said and then wrapped a hand around Rick’s cock and started pumping in rhythm with his hips.

“Yes!” Rick cried.

It took only moments before Rick was coming hard, hollering to beat the band and thrashing around like a fish on the bank. Daryl could only hold on and fuck him through. When Rick collapsed back and let out a long sigh, Daryl pulled out and pumped until he came all over Rick’s spent cock. He always did like seeing their come mixing. 

Rick laid out on the desk while Daryl shuffled around and found a red shop rag to clean them both up with. Just in time too, because he heard the bell ring letting him know someone had pulled in the lot. 

“Hey,” Rick called before Daryl could get out the door, “Come here.”

Daryl shuffled over for the post sex kiss that he knew Rick was asking for. Rick put his forehead on Daryl’s when they were done and looked deep into Daryl’s eyes. “Love you.”

Daryl nodded his head and said, “Only you, baby,” before slipping out of Rick’s arms and rushing out of the office just as the guys came back in laughing and full of pizza.

***

“You sure you wanna do this?” Daryl asked as he threw Rick’s duffle over his shoulder.

Rick nodded his head and sighed, “Yeah, gotta suit up and sit on the bench. Not like I’m gonna get called up to play, but I gotta show up for the team.”

The coach had called and stopped by pretty regularly since Rick’s injury, and had been strongly hinting for the last few weeks that Rick should really come to the games. Even if he only wore his jersey and sat in the dugout. This was the first time that Rick had been able to work up the gumption to actually go. 

Daryl didn’t stay. Rick was pretty firm about not needing a babysitter, and there was plenty of work to do at the shop. Shane had offered to bring Rick home later, and Daryl figured it would be good for the two of them to hang out. 

When Rick got home later that night, he was a little drunk and a lot of melancholy. 

“Never gonna play ball again, Daryl,” he said in that far away voice that Daryl knew meant that Rick was in a mood.

“Doc told ya that ya could if you worked hard at it.”

Rick shook his head and plopped on the couch, “Nah. If it was gonna heal right, it would’a by now. Been a whole string of people in and out of the rehab since I’ve been there.”

Daryl flopped down next to him, “You can’t go comparing yourself to other people. Doc said you did a lot of damage and you’re lucky to be walkin’.”

“Yeah, real lucky.”

“You going back to class tomorrow?” Daryl asked in an attempt to change the subject.

“Shane’s coming to get me and then mom’s gonna bring me home.  _ Could _ drive myself if I didn’t have three pedals…”

Daryl huffed out a laugh, “Takes skill to drive a stick shift, be glad I taught ya.”

Before they could dissolve into the argument about if Daryl had actually taught Rick how to drive a stick, or just gave him some pointers, Rick’s phone pinged in his pocket.

“Probably Shane letting me know he got home okay.” Rick said as he rolled onto his side to fish it out of his pocket.

He looked at it for a long moment and smiled before furiously typing a reply. Daryl didn’t want to hear about whatever it was the made Rick smile, probably Shane talking about some chick he’d hooked up with or wanted to hook up with, so he got up to go get a beer.

Daryl wouldn’t begrudge the smile on Rick’s face though. Shane was doing his part in keeping Rick from falling too far into despair, he’d been over to visit or called nearly everyday. It was out of Daryl’s area of expertise anyhow, seeing as how just being a part of Rick’s life was enough to make him smile all day every day.

“Hey, Daryl? You want to go with some of the folks from the rehab center out for a couple of drinks and dinner tomorrow?” Rick asked without looking up from his phone.

“Nah, I’d just sit there like a lump. You go ahead. Want a beer?”

Rick hesitated for a moment and then shook his head, “If I drink another, then I’ll want one after that and then I’ll be hungover tomorrow. I still got a bit of a buzz from dinner anyway. Joe bought a couple of rounds.”

Daryl narrowed his eyes, “Joe who?”

“You know ‘Joe who’. Joe, from rehab.” Rick said as his phone pinged.

Daryl squeezed his beer bottle hard enough that his knuckles turned white, “Thought you was out with Shane?” 

Rick looked up from his phone, “Was. But Joe happened to show up and I introduced him to Shane and we hung out for a while.”

“Oh.”

Rick got another ping on his phone and looked back at it.

Daryl took a long pull of his beer before saying, “Shane must have a hottie with how much he’s texting ya.”

“Not Shane.”

A small knot started in the pit of Daryl’s stomach, “Your mom then?”

Rick looked up and scowled, “Okay, one, my mom wouldn’t be texting me about a hottie. And two, I have other people in my life besides the three of you.”

He could feel the knot pull tight, “Joe.”

“Yeah, Joe. He wanted to make sure I got home okay and then he was checking to see if I remembered how to do that new stretch he showed me and then he asked about dinner.” Rick said.

“All of that, huh?” Daryl asked as he fidgeted with the label on his beer.

Rick looked up from his phone again, sensing the change in Daryl’s mood, “You know, he’s just being a good guy. I don’t even think he’s gay.” 

Daryl bit his lip a bit before saying, “Right. Gonna smoke.”

“Those things are gonna kill you!” Rick hollered at Daryl’s retreating back. Daryl ignored him and carefully shut the back door so that he wouldn’t slam it instead.

***

Daryl plucked a red rag out of the shop rag bucket to wipe the grease off his hands. Changing out a transmission was always a dirty job and required at least three guys. Just taking out the engine to get to the transmission took half the day. He was tired and dirty and it was only lunch time. 

The bell for the lot rang and Daryl hoped that Dale would talk to them, he was sure he looked like something that had fought it’s way out of a tar pit. And while he was of a mind that hard work made you dirty, not all of his customers did.

“Daryl!” He heard Rick holler from the front of the garage.

“Comin’!” 

He could just make out a sniggered, “I bet.” as he walked by a pair of feet sticking out from under a little four-banger. 

“Least I don’t have to do it alone,” he shot back at a shocked Randall as he gave up on wiping off the oil on his hands, Rick wouldn’t mind.

Rick was standing just inside the garage bay door, a halo of sunshine pouring a spotlight on him making Daryl’s mouth go a little dry, smiling brightly at the sight of Daryl. “Working hard?” he asked.

“Nah, just got a organic oil bath to help with my complexion.” Daryl snarked as he noticed that Rick wasn’t wearing any form of brace on his knee, just a pair of worn Levi’s slung low on his hips and an old brown t-shirt.

Rick dipped his head and looked Daryl in the eye, “Don’t need it.”

Daryl smiled shyly and drifted closer to Rick, not to kiss, but just be near enough to share the same air for a moment.

“Hey, hey! Got customers here!” A voice boomed from behind Rick.

Rick rolled his eyes and shook his head, “Come on Joe, that ain’t near as bad as what we had to watch Shane do the other night!”

And just like that, Daryl’s good mood evaporated. Somehow or another, Joe had figured out a way to hang out with Shane and Rick, or Rick and the folks from rehab, whenever Rick would go out. So now, not only was he with Rick at rehab, but once or twice a week socially too.

“That Shane sure knows how to pull them! I ain’t never seen a guy that gets a new girl every time like he does.” Joe laughed as he stopped next to Rick in the garage doorway.

Daryl twisted the rag in his hands, “Yeah, he’s a charmer.”

“Oh! Hey Daryl! Good news! Well, kinda good news. Doc says no more rehab, but it’s only because he doesn’t think it’s doing much good anymore. He’s talking like he might do some exploratory surgery to see if there is a bunch of scar tissue or something, but he’s gonna get a new MRI first.” Rick said.

Daryl nodded, Rick had seemed to be stagnant on his progress the last week or so. “Your cap and gown came in today , too.”

Joe clapped his hands loudly, “Well, that sounds like a cause for celebration! No more rehab and graduating! Where do you wanna go?” 

Rick and Daryl shared a look before Rick turned to Joe and said, “Daryl and I already have plans to go out.”

Joe put up his hands and looked abashed, “Oh! My bad! Should’a known the two of you wanted to do something special. Not a problem.”

“Was there something I could do for ya?” Daryl asked when it was clear the man wasn’t about to leave just yet.

“Shit! Sorry. Daryl, Joe is dropping off his Aztek for you to work on and then I’m going to take him back to his place.” Rick had been tickled pink when he’d gotten the go ahead to drive again at his last doctor’s visit.

Daryl hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and stood up straighter. “Dale can take him home. Part of the service.”

“No, it’s fine. He’s got some workout DVDs he’s gonna give me. ‘Sposed to focus on building strength in my knee again.” Rick said.

“Can’t he just send ‘em back with Dale?”

“Ah, well, I was gonna watch him do a few of the exercises first, just to make sure he’s got them down before I send him off on his own. Don’t want him to re-injure himself,” Joe said with a twinkle in his eye. 

Daryl’s eyes narrowed to slits, “Right.”

Rick clapped Joe on the shoulder, “Listen, I”m gonna run upstairs and make sure they sent the right size, and Joe, why don’t you tell Daryl what’s going on with your car?” 

“Fine idea, Rick.” Joe said. “Daryl, I’m hoping you can help me figure out what’s wrong with my baby.”

Other than being an eyesore, Daryl could already guess as they walked across the lot to it that it was either an electrical problem, or the a/c. Pretty standard problems with the thing. Apart from the ugly. 

“Gonna be a classic one day,” Joe said as he patted the side of the burnt orange SUV.

“You reckon?” Daryl asked as he reached in the driver’s side and released the hood.

Joe grinned broadly, “Yeah, just like an Edsel or a Pacer.”

“Right,” Daryl said as he dove under the hood to try and check the electric lines.

“Wow, you jump right in, don’t ya? I didn’t even tell you what’s wrong. Pretty sure the a/c just needs charged . Guess you got plenty of time.” Joe said with a chuckle.

Daryl gritted his teeth, “ Thought you said it was pinging. And it’s lunch hour.” 

Joe nodded his head sagely, “Oh, right! But I really think it’s just the a/c needing a charge. And I guess you gotta work when there’s work, right?”

Pulling his head out from under the hood, Daryl pointedly looked at Joe before sweeping his eyes to the garage and the three bays that each had a car being worked on and then turned around and looked at the other four cars waiting and the two that were done.

“Got plenty of work. Rick asked me to look at your vehicle, and that’s what I’m doin’.” 

Joe rubbed his chin, “Can’t say as I blame ya there. Rick has a way about him, don’t he ? Real nice fella. Lookin’ forward to getting to know him better.”

Daryl took a step closer to Joe, “Think you know him well enough.”

“As well as you? Oh, how well do you know him?” Joe asked. “Did you know he wanted to play pro ball? Or that he was hoping he could make enough money so that he could buy a big house and get a new car instead of that Jeep he’s been driving since he was sixteen?”

Daryl scoffed and turned back to the SUV, “I’ve known him since he was twelve, and you don’t know shit about him.”

“I know he likes it when people are honest with him about their feelings. Don’t try and sidestep what he wants to hear just to keep him stringing along.” Joe said, contempt rolling off each word.

Daryl’s head was out from under the hood and about six inches from Joe’s face when he heard a friendly voice from halfway across the lot, “Hey there! Heard someone needs a ride home!” He’d never been so happy to hear Dale’s voice in his life.

Joe turned a false smile to Dale, “Oh, no! Thank you! I think Rick’s gonna take me home. As soon as he gets done primping with his cap and gown!”

“I’ll go check on him,” Daryl said as he set off for their apartment over the garage.

He did indeed find Rick standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom wearing his cap and gown. Daryl was dumbstruck for the second time that day over the fact that a man like that would want to be with a guy like him.

Rick turned and smiled, “What do you think? Does it fit?”

“Looks...looks good. You look good.” Daryl said in a rough voice.

“Guess I better get Joe home.”

Daryl startled, “No! Dale...Dale’s going to do it.”

Taking that cap off, Rick asked, “Are you sure? I mean, I might need Joe to show me those exercises.”

“The whole point of having a DVD is so that you don’t have to have a real life person there. I think you can do without the special instruction,” Daryl said as he drifted closer to Rick.

Rick cocked his head to the side, “Good point.”

“Did you eat? Need to take a piss? Need a drink?” Daryl asked.

“I’m good, why?” Rick asked with narrowed eyes.

Daryl reached around Rick and opened the drawer that had some of their toys in it and pulled out a pair of handcuffs, “Because you’re going to be tied up until I get off work.”

Rick’s eyes rolled back as he said, “Oh, fuck yeah.”

It took less than five minutes to get Rick stripped and on the bed arranged to Daryl’s liking, and less than thirty seconds to get rid of Joe, “Rick’s not up to taking you home. Dale can bring back the DVDs.”

Daryl didn’t wait for an answer, he had to go and get a nice bottle of scotch for Dale and get back before the end of lunch.

***

It was a little over a week before Daryl could get to Joe’s car. He probably could have done it that first afternoon, but fuck that douche. Probably closer to two before it pulled into bay one.

Rick’s graduation was the next day and then everyone was going to Rick’s mom’s for a cookout to celebrate. Joe was going to that too, but Rick had invited a lot of the people from the rehab center, so Daryl really couldn’t say anything about it. He could be unhappy about it though.

“Hey , Daryl?” Noah called from under the Aztek’s hood. Bob and Randall had already left for the day. Noah had stayed to charge the a/c on this since it was supposed to be quick and easy.

“Yeah?” Daryl answered as he ambled over.

Noah pointed at the mess of wires that ran  alongside the engine, “Thought this was just an a/c charge?”

Daryl narrowed his eyes in confusion and leaned in to look at the mess. A good portion of the wires had been haphazardly cut and were splayed out like spaghetti in the engine bay. “How the hell did that happen?”

By that time, Dale had shuffled over and peered into the mess too, “Looks like they left the ones for the starter and stuff, so the car would move. But the tail lights and most of the other stuff is cut.”

“Why the hell would anyone do that?” Daryl asked in confusion. “I looked at these myself when he brought it in, they weren’t like that.”

“I don’t know man, you think someone’s got a beef with this guy?” Noah asked.

Daryl could imagine there was a whole line of people that had a beef with Joe, but why anyone would do this knowing that it was already scheduled for maintenance was beyond him. “Guess I gotta call him and see what he wants us to do.”

Dale perked up, “I’ll call him. You just go ahead and call the parts store and see if they have the wiring harness in. It’s gonna take you another day, at least, to get this done. And you still have to get that tie-rod changed on the Buick for Carol before Tuesday.”

“Shit, yeah. Thanks Dale. Noah, we’ll have to push it out until we get the wiring in for it. Let’s get that done and get the Buick in here. Good chance we can get it done today if we hurry.”

“Yeah, ain’t like I got nothin’ better to do on a Friday night,” Noah sighed.

“I’ll make it up to ya, Noah. I’ll help tonight and then you can leave early one day next week. Deal?”

Noah smiled wide, “Deal!”

“Daryl?” Dale hollered from the office.

“Yeah?”   


“That Joe fella says he wants to come out and see. Says that’s not the way he left it here.”

Daryl sighed, he was hoping he wouldn’t have to deal with the jackoff. “I know that. He was standing right next to me when I popped the hood.”

“Well, he’s acting all kinds of pissy about it.”

“Great,” Daryl muttered under his breath.

“He said he’ll be here in an hour or so.” 

Daryl would be elbow deep in grease by then, but there was nothing he could do about it. If Joe wanted to come and raise a stink, Daryl could just call Morgan again. He hadn’t done any work on Joe’s piece of shit anyway, so if it went away, Daryl was only out the ten minutes of Noah’s time. 

Noah and Daryl had just wrestled the brake assembly off the car when there was a commotion out in the lot. The lot bell was continuously going off and Daryl could hear the sound of a lot of voices and car doors being slammed.

Dale leaned out of the office and looked out the bay door, “What the hell?” 

Daryl got up from where he was sitting and saw not only Joe in his ugly as fuck Mustang, but also a couple of cops and some pencil pushing looking dude in a suit all milling about in his lot around the Aztek.

“The fuck?” Daryl couldn’t fathom why Joe coming to see about his car would warrant all these folks. He quickly wiped his hands and headed for the first officer he saw.

He was headed off by the pencil pusher, “Mr. Dixon? My name is Milton Mamet and I’m from the County Attorney’s office. Mr. Kober has some compelling evidence of a scam being perpetrated on him by you.”

Before Daryl could answer, Dale questioned the man, “A scam? Are you serious? Why the hell would Daryl try to scam this guy?”

“The reason why is not my concern. We have evidence from Mr. Kober and a woman that was here a month or so ago who claims you tried the same with her.” Mamet said.

“I sent that woman over to Morgan’s and paid for the damn tow, she can’t claim I scammed her.” Daryl growled out.

“Perhaps you are in cahoots with this Morgan person?” Mamet asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Daryl’s eyes widened and he took a step forward, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

The hand Dale shot out to restrain Daryl was the only thing keeping him from bumping chests with the little man in front of him. This was getting out of control.

Mamet held up a piece of paper, “I have a warrant to search the premises and your paperwork. These deputies will help me. If you would please excuse me.”

“Wait, what kind of evidence does Mr. Kober have against Daryl? Daryl hasn’t even done any work on his car.” Dale asked.

Joe took that moment to amble over, a shit eating grin on his face, “I got video. I put a motion sensor camera under the hood of the Aztek. You can see plain as day someone opening the hood and cutting all those wires.”

“ ‘S that so?” Daryl asked through gritted teeth.

Joe pitched his voice lower so that Mamet and Dale wouldn’t hear as the two of them walked to the garage, “Yep! What’s Rick gonna think about you now that he knows what a dishonest bullshitter you are?” 

“Done told you, we’ve known each other since we were twelve. Ain’t got nothin’ to hide from him.” Daryl said just as low, some of the cops knew Rick and Daryl, but not all of them. No sense in stirring anything up. 

“We’ll see about that,” Joe said as he looked over his shoulder to watch Rick’s Jeep pull into the lot behind the line of cop cars.

Daryl growled low in his throat and turned to holler at Dale, “You remember that blonde chick that was in here last week with the Beemer?”

Dale nodded his head, “Nice girl. Gonna be a lawyer.”

“Yeah, well her daddy already is a lawyer, get her on the phone and see if her daddy will come down here.”

“Daryl, I’m not sure…”

“Don’t worry. He’ll come.” Daryl tossed over his shoulder as he headed straight for Rick. Fucking Joe already there.

“What’s going on?” Rick asked. Confusion and worry written all over his face.

“Your friend,” and here Joe made air quotes around ‘friend’, “tried to scam me and I got the proof. Got the county attorney here searching his records to prove it.”

“What?” Rick whispered. But it wasn’t the disbelief whisper, it was the ‘oh shit, you’re fucked’ whisper. Daryl took a step back.

“Got it all on video. And got a statement from that lady from last month that he tried to screw over too. Good thing she was smart enough to get her car out of here and to another garage before he screwed her out of all kinds of money.

Rick nodded his head and looked at Daryl. It was then that Daryl knew that everything was going to be okay. Rick could see what kind of person Joe was now and all Daryl had to do was wait for Joe to realize and get the fuck out of there and take his three ring circus with him.

Rick turned back to Joe, “What’s your proof?”

“Got video from the night I brought it here. Can see plain as day someone open the hood and cut the wires.” Joe said with a smirk for Daryl.

“Why are you just now saying something?” Rick asked.

“Had to wait for Daryl to call and claim the repairs were necessary first.” Joe said.

Daryl shook his head, “You do know that my lot and garage have security cameras, right?”

“What’s it got? 24 or 48 hour loop? This happened almost two weeks ago. Whatever happened then’s already been taped over.” Joe said with a triumphant smile.

Rick smile back, just as triumphant, “ ‘S that so?”

Daryl caught Rick’s eye and they both smirked, they had him now.

There was a muffled sound from the office and Daryl remembered there was a troupe of people in there tearing it up. “C’mon, before they tear shit up,” he said to Rick.

When they got in the office it was to see Dale and Marmet squared off against each other, and the deputies all milling about and joking with each other. Noah stood just outside the door in the garage, his eyes wide with curiosity. 

“What’s going on?” Daryl asked.

Dale smiled, “Can’t execute the warrant until your lawyer gets her to examine it and make sure that Mr. Marmet here only looks at the stuff on the warrant.”

Rick turned to Daryl, “Lawyer?”

“Andrea’s dad.”

Rick and several of the cops burst out laughing at that. “Might as well call it a day then. Andrea’s dad is the best lawyer in three counties,” he told Marmet.

“It doesn’t matter how a good a lawyer he is, I’ve got evidence from Mr. Kober and a sworn affidavit from another witness.”

Rick shook his head, “Your evidence is shit. And I can prove it right now.”

“Any evidence you provide right now would be suspect. The evidence has to go through the proper channels,” Marmet sniffed.

“You mean like having a county attorney and the local sheriff to witness it?” Rick asked.

“That’s a little overkill, but yes, something like that.” Marmet said with a flip of his hand.

Rick looked pointedly around the room before his eyes stopped on an older deputy, “What do you think, dad?”

“Dad?” Marmet and Joe asked.

Rick smiled, “Yeah, ‘Dad’.”

Pushing aside Marmet, Rick went to a tall cabinet that stood in the back of the little room. He opened it to reveal several video screens that showed live shots of the lot and garage from several angles. 

“You know, it’s awesome what technology can do for us nowadays. Used to be you had to use a VHS tape and reuse it or store a shit ton of them for your security. But they’d wear down or deteriorate over time.  N ow, you can store all of the footage on a hard drive or even a flash drive, or shit, even in the cloud, and it’s always there.” Rick said as he fiddled with a keyboard and mouse that was on a shelf under the bank of screens.

Joe’s mouth was hanging open before he snapped it shut and said, “You can’t prove when that video was taken.”

Rick looked over his shoulder at him, “I can. Even better than what you claim with your video. All of our videos are timestamped and run through a private security firm that verifies all videos for legal purposes.”

Daryl gave Joe a beady eye, “Not such a dumb redneck, huh?”

Joe sputtered and tried to back out the door, but a firm hand on his shoulder by Rick’s dad stopped him.

Rick finally quit messing around and pulled up a video that started with the Aztek pulling up, the time and date stamped in the corner. He fast forwarded it through Daryl and Joe’s conversation and through a few hours of the car being parked in the lot. There was a bit of time where the sky grew dark and the lot cleared out for the evening. About the time that the clock in the corner of the video showed 4 am, a car pulled up and stopped in front of the Aztek. There was no way to tell what the person who got out of the car looked liked because it was dark and they were covered head to toe, but there was no mistaking the ugly green ‘73 Mustang. 

All eyes swiveled to Joe who was now visibly sweating, “That could be anybody!”

Daryl scoffed, “Ain’t nobody around here but you got a car like that. And you know it.”

Marmet swallowed visibly, “I think we’ve seen enough. But there is still the matter of the woman who claims that you also tried to cheat her.”

Dale shot up from where he’d been sitting in Daryl’s chair behind the desk, “Oh, I got that covered.” He went to the filing cabinet next to the video cabinet and ruffled around before pulling out a slim file. “Here we go, here is a copy of the write up of the repairs, and you can clearly see that Daryl has marked out the total and written ‘zero’. And here is the bill for the tow to Morgan’s place that Daryl paid.”

Marmet shook his head, “That doesn’t prove that Daryl and Morgan aren’t in cahoots to scam people. The woman claims that Morgan charged her more than Daryl originally quoted her.”

One of the deputies snorted. Marmet turned to look at him, “You have something to say?”

The deputy, clearly not intimidated, said, “Everyone knows Morgan charges more. Ain’t no secret. That’s one of the reason’s Daryl’s lot is always full. He charges a lot less and gets it done faster.”

“So are you saying this Morgan person is overcharging his customers?” Marmet asked with a gleam in his eye.

“Ain’t saying nothin’ of the sort. Morgan charges more. He’s got a fancy new garage and all his techs are certified. Daryl and Bob are the ones certified here and they oversee the other guys.”

“You seem to know a lot about it.” Marmet said.

The deputy shrugged his shoulders, “It’s a small county and everyone knows everyone. You and this fella here are the only two people in the room I haven’t known my whole life. And you two are the only ones making a stink.”

Marmet opened his mouth to say something more, but Rick cut him off, “Seeing as your evidence is bogus, I suggest ya’ll clear out. It’s getting a bit stuffy in here.”

Rick’s dad nodded his head at his son and motioned for his deputies and Marmet to clear out. Dale followed too, but Joe stood seething off to the side. Daryl had turned to Rick and didn’t see him.

“You think he’s good enough for you?” 

Daryl turned to see Joe in a rage. His face red and his fists clenched. 

“Actually, I don’t think I’m good enough for him.” Rick answered, steel in his eyes. 

“He doesn’t even love you! He doesn’t know you dream of playing pro ball. He’s the reason your leg hasn’t healed. He’s the reason you’ll never get out of this stupid county!”  Joe snarled.

Rick shook his head and looked at Daryl, “I don’t know what he’s talking about.”

Joe took a step towards Rick, “You could have been somebody! He ruined you! You told me that. You told me he doesn’t love you! I could! I do! I love you, Rick. I can make you better. You don’t need him!”

Daryl took a step back and hit the desk with his hip and looked at Rick with a wounded expression, “Rick?”

“I never said any of that! Not one word of that! I told you that Daryl didn’t have to say he loved me, I knew it anyway. And I told you that Daryl didn’t care about if I played pro or not, so long as we were together, here or anywhere else. You’ve just twisted it up so it makes you look like the hero.”

Joe took another menacing step towards Rick, something bright now glinting in his hand. “He won’t ever say it. Not even if it was life or death!” And he lunged and grabbed Rick and put a blade against his neck.

“Rick!” Daryl cried out.

Joe had one arm wrapped around Rick’s chest and arms, holding them flat against his body, and a leg hooked over Rick’s bad knee, holding him immobile. Rick shivered in revulsion as Joe ran a tongue along his ear. 

“Let me show you, Rick. I can take you around the world, find you a better doctor and get that knee fixed up so that you can play pro ball. I got a friend that manages a farm team, get you in front of a scout. You could be famous, Rick.”

Daryl was coiled up now like a cat ready to spring, “Get your mother fucking hands off him before I rip your god damned arm off and shove it up your ass.”

Joe bit Rick’s ear, “You like it rough, I know you do. I bet that kid can’t really give you what you need. I can.” Joe was now rutting against Rick’s backside and making Rick squirm. He would have already bucked the guy off but for the knife making a trickle of blood drip down his neck.

“Last warning, Kudjo,” Daryl said with all the menace he could muster.

“You think I’m scared of you? White trash little shit from…” Joe was interrupted from his rant by Dale banging the door open a wide smile on his face.

“Looks like that Joe fella ran off before your dad could ask him any…” his voice died out as he took in the scene in front of him.

But that was enough time for Rick to react. Daryl just barely saw the tick of Rick’s eyes in enough time to step sideways for Rick to twist and throw Joe over his shoulder to land hard on the desk where Daryl had just been leaning. 

It took the two of them to wrestle the knife from his hand, each getting knocked around good in the effort. Daryl ended up sprawled across Joe on the desk, arms straining to hold the hand that held the knife. Rick was bleeding from his neck and hands where Joe had gotten him a few times in the struggle, but had hold of Joe’s other hand now. 

“Stop!” Daryl heard the young deputy cry. He turned and looked to see the kid had his revolver aimed at them. Daryl caught Rick’s eye and then slowly let go. 

Joe rolled from the desk and started coughing dramatically, “They attacked me!”

“That’s a lie!” Dale cried from behind the deputy. He must have run to get help as soon as he’d seen what was going on.

“You calling me a liar?” Joe asked, a thin line of foam coming from his lips. “You’re one of them!” He looked at the deputy, his eyes so wide the whites showed, “You all are!” 

Daryl only knew what happened next because of the video evidence from his office security feed. Joe had lunged at the young deputy and gotten the gun away from him and gotten off two shots, one at Dale and one at Daryl before Rick grabbed the man and fell to the floor half in and half out of the office. 

After some rolling around and another two loud bangs from the gun that made Daryl’s heart stop, Rick had stood up, covered in blood from his neck down to his belt, and collapsed. Everything was white noise to Daryl until they’d gotten to the hospital. 

The security feed then showed Daryl throwing himself on Rick and sobbing, holding his lover close and begging for an answer from the unconscious Rick. It had taken two deputies and Dale to pull him away long enough for the paramedics to strap Rick into a gurney and get him to the ambulance. 

They left Joe where he was. The paramedics didn’t even try and revive him, the hole in his neck where the bullet had taken out his carotid artery and the amount of blood flowing along the floor proof enough there wasn’t any point in making an effort. 

***

The garage was shut down for a week for the investigation. The state police were called in to head it since it was considered an officer involved shooting. They went ahead and followed up on Joe’s false claims too, just to leave no doubt about what exactly had happened.

Daryl hadn’t been there for any of it. He’d been at Rick’s side at the hospital day and night. Only leaving when Rick’s mom forced him to go home and change out of his blood soaked clothes. 

He’d gotten a little shit from the staff on Rick’s floor after the surgery, “Family only,” the harassed looking woman had said. But Rick’s mom had come through again and told the woman to stuff it, that Daryl was her son too and he was going back with her to see Rick. There hadn’t been any other incidents since then. 

It was ten days later and Rick still hadn’t woken up. He’d been shot in the shoulder and had re-injured his knee. The surgery had taken all night and the doctor had said if the bullet had gone any further to the middle of Rick’s chest, there was a good chance it would have hit an arterial vein and he would have bled out before he got to the hospital. There was no chance of him fully recovering the use of his knee.

Daryl tried not to cry, but sometimes, late at night when it was just the two of them, he would hold Rick’s hand and start a litany of apologies. “I’m sorry. I love you. Always have. You can leave and go play pro ball and get a big house. I don’t mind. And, if you don’t need me, that’s okay too. Just..just don’t die.”

“I love you. You can go play ball.”

“I love you. We can sell the Jeep and get you an automatic.”

“I love you. We can get a house out there by your folks.”

“I love you. Please wake up.”

“I love you. Don’t die, please.”

He was reduced to pacing the back of the room whenever anyone else was there. Mostly it was Rick’s mom and dad and occasionally Shane could sweet talk his way in. The nurses were all okay with Daryl being there, but some of the doctors gave him a hard time. That is until they had to deal with Rick’s mom, and that shut them up. 

It didn’t matter, when Rick finally woke up at the crack of dawn nearly three weeks after the shooting, Daryl was shuffled out of the room and was told that he could come back in when a family member got there to allow him in. It didn’t matter that Rick’s mom had already told them that Daryl was her son or that Daryl had been there almost nonstop the whole time. Or that he had helped the nurses clean and take care of Rick. No, he wasn’t really family, so he couldn’t be there. 

One of the nurses took pity on him though and explained, “If you were married, it wouldn’t be an issue. It has nothing to do with what you guys do at home. Do you understand?”

Daryl nodded numbly. He understood. They needed a piece of paper, a band of metal, a shared tax form. It didn’t matter that they’d been together since they were teenagers and already shared the bills or that they were “Rick and Daryl”  as a unit to all their family and friends. Even Merle expected to see Rick whenever he saw Daryl.

And now he was kicked out over the lack of a piece of paper and their name in a leger down at the courthouse. 

Daryl was gone before Rick’s parents got there. He didn’t make it back until nearly the end of visiting hours. The charge nurse didn’t wave him on back like she’d always done before, “Sorry, we have to get permission from the patient since he’s awake now.” She’d said. He was left cooling his heels for twenty minutes. 

Dale was the one to come get him, “He’s been asking about you all damn day!”

Before Daryl could ask what the hell Dale was even doing there, they entered a party that was set up in Rick’s room. There was music playing and food being eaten. There were so many people in the room that there was barely enough room for Daryl to get in. 

Rick’s mom and dad were there of course, and so was Dale. But there was also Rick’s coach and Alisha from the rehab, Bob and Noah and Randall, and Daryl didn’t remember telling them that Rick was awake, but news must have travelled. Shane and some of the guys from the baseball team were there too. 

But Daryl only had eyes for Rick. He was sitting up, still bandaged and with an oxygen mask, but his color was better and he was smiling in that way that made his eyes crinkle. Daryl had to bite back a sob of relief. 

“Daryl!” Rick cried. “Was getting worried about ya!”

Daryl bit his lip before answering, “Said I wasn’t family and had to wait.”

Shane shook his head and said amongst the other mutterings, “Even after you been here this whole time?”

Daryl shrugged his shoulder, “I’m here now.”

“Com’ere,” Rick said as he held out a hand. 

Daryl hesitated for a moment, but then remembered that all of these people knew about the two of them and didn’t have a problem with it. Hell, most of them had caught Rick and Daryl making out, or worse. So he took the three steps to Rick’s side and grabbed the hand offered to him.

“Scared me,” he said.

Rick looked deep into Daryl’s eyes, the rest of the room falling away, “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just...don’t do it again.”

Shaking his head, Rick said, “Won’t.”

Daryl took a shaking breath, “Can’t do it without you.”

Rick squeezed Daryl’s hand, “Can’t do it without  _ you _ .”

“Want everyone to know. Don’t want anyone to say I don’t…”

Cutting him off, Rick said, “Daryl, _I_ _know_ and that’s what’s important.” 

“I think we need to give these two some privacy,” Dale said.

“No!” Daryl said as he looked at all the people in the room. All the people that loved Rick and even some of them might like Daryl ok too. “No, want you all here.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a small nut, but on closer inspection it was revealed to be a ring made of a precious metal in the shape of the fastener.

“Daryl?” Rick whispered.

Taking a deep breath, Daryl said, “Rick Grimes, I love you. Will you marry me?”

Daryl could just hear the gasps from around him, but he didn’t care. If Rick said no, he’d walk out and let him live the life that Joe had said Rick wanted. But if he said yes, well then all these people were going to be at the wedding anyway.

He really wasn’t prepared for the tears though.

***

“You sure about this baby brother?” Merle asked as he took a drink from his hip flask.

“For the last time, Merle, yes. And quit drinkin’. At least wait until after the ceremony.” Daryl said as he tried to brush the hair out of his eyes. 

“You ain’t tied down yet. Ain’t got no kids to pay for.” 

Daryl pinned him with a baleful eye, “You’re kidding, right?”

They were in the away team’s locker room at the high school. Rick and Shane were in the home team one. The wedding was supposed to have started by now, but there was lightening in the area and they were waiting it out. They were already twenty minutes past the start time. Which was probably why Merle was so far into his alcohol.

Just then there was a knock and then Alisha poked her head in, “All clear!”

Daryl took a long steadying breath and let it out slow. He could do this. For Rick.  _ His  _ Rick. In a few short minutes they would have a piece of paper and a couple of bands of metal to prove it. No more questions and hopefully no more rogue physical therapist trying to break them up.

There was music playing, Dale standing behind home plate to officiate, a group of people strung out along the base lines to either side of him, and Shane standing there too, but Daryl didn’t notice any of that. All he could see was Rick standing there in a dark gray tux, lit up from the sun, and smiling at Daryl. He was leaning on a cane, his leg still in the brace and his arm in a sling, but he was standing on his own two feet and had walked out here on his own. He was perfect. 

Daryl was only brought back to earth by Merle nudging him, “Now don’t start blubbering again. You’ll get him started and then it’ll be like a damn hen house in here and I’ll leave your ass standing here and then where will you be.”

“Shut up, Merle,” Rick said through a smile and held out his hand for Daryl. 

Daryl wasn’t the only one that cried that day. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! I don't have anything else in the works for now, but who knows, I might get inspired in the next week or so!
> 
> P.S. I left the 'Rick's dick' in there on purpose. I couldn't stop giggling when I wrote it. :D


End file.
